Carol and Therese
by Flungoutofspace01
Summary: What happened after the end of Carol the movie
1. Chapter 1

What happened to Carol and Therese after the end of Carol, the movie.

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CAROL AND THERESE

 **Chapter 1- So you've managed to arrive.**

Therese stood at her. As if it wasn't anyone else in the room. And Carol realized Therese was there, she couldn't follow what her friend was saying anymore, she just fixed her eyes in Therese's, as if she was asking her a confirmation. Therese smiled, but was so drown away that her eyes remained with no expression at all, completely absorbed by Carol's glance. And, with glittering eyes, Carol smiled her back.

The man who was talking to Carol, suddenly noticed she was distracted, and turned his head to watch who Carol was staring at in such a deeply way.

" Therese! So you've managed to arrive. " Carol stood up before her friends could notice her eyes were full of tears, although she couldn't control her tone. Her heart was beating faster and she felt a huge hole in her stomach, totally overwhelmed with emotions when she embraced Therese.

On the other hand, Therese wasn't able to move. She just wanted to close her eyes and let the whole room disappear, her being in Carol's arms. She felt Carol's body close to hers, she closed her eyes and, just for a while, the trick worked. It all became dark, and she could perceive only Carol's perfume and Carol's lips brushing her cheek. "This is Therese Belivet." Carol broke the hug and said to her friends. "She's..." Carol's voice paused. _She's the woman I love_ Carol thought. But her voice collapsed. Therese touched briefly Carol's hand, understanding her embarrassment. Then she made a step toward the table and presented herself to the guests.

A waiter added a chair for the young woman, and she sat just in front of Carol. The people started to ask her insignificant questions, but she wasn't able to elaborate a proper answer, especially with Carol's eyes on her. So suddenly they lost interest in her and started to talk as they did before.

Therese felt all the Oak room vanish, as her mind was distant thousand miles from all the laughs and voices of the restaurant, as Carol occupied all her senses. In fact, Carol was watching her, probably waiting her to say something, but Therese couldn't utter a word, her throat completely dry.

Carol put a hand on her own chin, then she smiled and whispered to Therese softly " So you are here." "Yes."

* * *

 **Hi everyone! I am not a native english speaker, therefore, if you'll find mistakes please do apologize me. I've really loved Carol (especially the movie, but also the book) and, because I am an imaginative person and, of course, to escape the routine, I've decided to write a story. And that's it, the first chapter of " Carol and Therese", or better, what happened after the end of Carol. Hope you've appreciate it! Please feel free to write below comments/suggestions/impressions or whatever you want, just leave me a feedback, so I know if you'd like me to continue sharing my fantasies. A big hug to all of you,**

 **Flungoutofspace01**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter **2- I wanted to say.**

A yellow cab fetched the two women, who were now sitting in the back. The taxi driver noticed the two were sitting very close to each other, the legs almost touching. They were talking and he tried to grasp the theme of the conversation, but he could not. _They seemed as if they were in a dome_ , he thought, _a dome he could not enter_.

"I..."started Therese in a whisper. Carol looked at her with interest, but Therese, couldn't continue. She started to pinch her own hand and put her head down. Carol took Therese's hands in hers, and obliged Therese to watch her. " You...?" replied Carol. Therese shook her head, nodding. "Nothing" but a tear signed her cheek.

"I mean it" Carol said and squished Therese's hand in the darnkness. A heavy silence occupied the cab.

"Here you are. It's 10$."

"Sorry for the mess." Carol said. Therese looked around. The apartment was really big, almost three times the one in which she used to live.

"It's perfect" Therese commented. "Give me your suitcase, please. Tomorrow, I promess, I'll put some order in here." Carol raised her hand. But Therese leaned the bag on the floor. She took Carol's hand.

" I wanted to say..." Therese's voice was trembling. " I was afraid." she continued " because I've never felt like this with someone." Carol left the girl's hand, in order to caress her face. They were so close Therese could see every shade in Carol's eyes.

" And I tried to explain it to my self, or even... To deny it. When you weren't here, I thought... " Carol eyes got sadder. "I've never wanted to leave you, Therese".

" And I felt strange, different. But then I realized I was different, I am different from any other, because I've met you."

Then a moment of silence followed before Therese could continue " And... above all, I am different, since I've started to love you".

Then Carol kissed her.

Their lips touched softly _. One month without her_ , Carol thought.

Therese pulled the tip of her tongue inside Carol's mouth, and she deepened the kiss. But all of a sudden Therese stepped back, she raised Carol's chin, she kissed sweetly Carol's neck, near the artery, exactly where she could hear Carol's heart beating faster, then she whispered

"Carol, I love you".

* * *

 **Hi, it's me again! Some of you may thought why I've decided to post 2 chapters in a role. Well, the answer is simple: I'm not a long winded writer and I've started this story line in order to entertain you. So I'd appreciate you to comment below, so I'll have a feedback. And if you like it, I'll continue from here. Thank you so much for reading my story.**

 **Flungoutofspace01**


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER **3** \- **She had almost drowned herself**

Then Therese baited softly Carol's jaw, her teethes grasping for Carol's smooth skin. The elder woman sighed, and, as Therese caressed her face without separating her deep glance, Carol kissed her again intensively. She could feel the girl's desire as the tips of the two tongues touched again, but that time Carol embraced Therese, not letting her escape anymore. The hand of the elder woman caught Therese's nape and pulled her closer, obliging all her tongue to enter Carol's mouth.

Carol hands started to undress furiously Therese's suit, which fell on the floor, and then her fingers unbuttoned her shirt. Carol started to leave the sign of her lips in Therese's chest, while her hands unfastened the girl's bra, which fell on the floor as well. But then, Carol slowed down, and looked at Therese's body, astonished.

Therese's beauty pierced her heart once again, like an arrow.

Carol reminded the first time she saw Therese naked that night, in Waterloo. The milky skin, her bosom so delicate and vulnerable. _As a crystal_ , Carol thought. A crystal she was attracted to in a visceral way, a crystal she could briefly touch and even take in her hands if she wanted to, although the crystal was too rare to be one's personal possession, so precious, Carol feared to destroy it in a thousand pieces.

Carol brushed slowly Therese's nipples, thinking about _how people spend all their lives trying to preserve youth_ , and Therese, in that very moment, seemed so fragile, she could vanish under Carol's fingertips. The girl's desire was unbearable, as her nipples become redder and harder, her cheeks turned into fire, and she could barely breathe.

Carol took Therese and guided her to bed. The girl laid down, Carol licked Therese's nipples making round circles around them with her tongue, sucking them. Then the elder woman took one nipple between her teethes, and she moved her mouth slowly. Therese moaned.

She was in a state of trance, her body truthfully subdued to Carol's will, her mind flying away fast. She closed her eyes, and she felt her getting free from her skirt. Carol baited her underpants, thrown it away. Therese's mind was back to their very first night in Waterloo, while Carol hands arrived in that point where she was completely wet.

A picture out of focus popped up in her mind, even if, she could not think properly.

New year's eve, it was Carol, when she had opened her bathrobe in front of the mirror revealing herself, with her fragilities too. Therese had seen her completely, the woman she was beyond that veil of self-confidence, a characteristic that had attracted Therese from the very first glance, one thing she had always lacked.

(Carol's fingers.)

Therese sighed and grasped hardly to the figure she was trying to recollect, while her nails plunged Carol's back.

She had always looked with admiration Carol, her manners, her behavior, her style. But she equally hated her makeup, her dresses, a barrier that both separate...

(Carol mouth arrived there.)

… and sheltered her from the rest of the world.

 _Carol had almost drowned herself… into the character of the perfect mother and wife_ , but...

although she had repressed her own grains… in order to fit the high society expectations…

...her real self permeated _with an inner light that ripped the darkness around her_ ,Therese thought.

Carol tongue entered her, and the image was pulled away.

* * *

 **Hi everyone! Thank you for reading chapter 3 ! Did you enjoy it? Please let me know, any thoughts/suggestions will be useful. If you like me to, I'll continue from here.**

 **Kisses,**

 **Flungoutofspace01**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter **4** \- **Just one dance, for Rindy.**

Carol was in a ball room. She looked around, hoping to recognize somebody in the crowd, but, unbelievably, her eyes couldn't distinguish any face at all. Carol squeezed her piercing blue eyes, but she couldn't see any the room seemed completely out of focus. Carol brought a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes for a while. She wasn't feeling well, that night. She opened her eyes again. The lights of the room, the women's long dresses, the men in suit, the coloured flowrers, the music,all mixed up together, in a vortex that made her head start to turn terribly. Carol thought she was about to faint.

Out of the blue, a man approached her, offering her a glass of wine. " It's italian, m'am." said the waitress with a flat voice. Carol drinked a sip. _It is delicious_ , she thought.  
Then the woman reached the buffet in order to eat a few appetizers.  
 _Why did I put on this damn dress?_ she thought. Her dress was so tight she could barely breathe. Then she recolled Abby had told her to, because "it underlines your curves", the friend said.  
But Carol was felling quite uncomfortable there, as she was completely out of place.

A man, who had just enterd the room, noticed her and after a moment of hesitation,he came across.  
" Carol, may I ask you a dance?" the man said. Carol looked at him. His hair were greyer as she remembered, and the eyes of the man were underlined by dark circles, as if he hadn't slept that much those days.  
"Harge, what are you doing here? I guessed..." she said, her voice sounding very tired. "Sorry, I didn't want to bother you. I have just wanted to say you're the most beautiful women in the room, Carol". Carol looked away, avoiding the man's eyes. " You had already told me, Harge."

Harge knew Carol was referring to the last dance they did together some months earlier at Janette's house, _before Carol_...

"Carol, Rindy is here. I think she'd appreciate to see us together, even if only for a couple of minutes." and he stretched his right hand towards her. Carol looked at the man's hand and she crossed her arms.

" Where is she? I want to see her." "She's with my mother right now, there at the front door. Come on Carol, she's watching us.",Harge replied, with a bit of impatience in his voice.  
The woman met her daughter's eyes and she felt her heart crumble.  
"Mummy, mummy!" Rindy shouted and started to run in Carol's direction, but Harge's mother held her by an arm.

"Ok Harge. Just one dance. For Rindy."

Harge took Carol's hand, and they started to dance at the middle of the dancefloor.  
The man guided Carol at first following the rhythm of the music, then the movements became faster and faster. Carol's sight swirled so much that the woman couldn't see anything.  
The dance went on and they made the switch of partners. Carol felt as a leaf driven by the wind, while she was going from one's arms, to the others. Then, she was dancing with Therese.

Carol didn't think why the girl was there, when did she arrive or why they were dancing together. Carol could only focus her attention on Therese, as if they were dancing together beyond space and time. Carol could distinguish every inch of Therese's beautiful face, although out her perimeter it was only chaos.

Therese smiled at her, and the turmoil entered Carol.  
She felt unable to react, then, her legs became heavy. Carol fixed her eyes in Therese's, facing the energy that was between them. But Carol couldn't cope anymore, she closed her eyes and fainted.

Therese held Carol in her arms, before the woman could fall on the floor.

.

.

.

A coffee's aroma made Carol wake up, sweetly.

* * *

 **Hi ! Thanks for reading chapter 4 ! Did you enjoy ? Please let me know. Hope I'll publish chapter 5 soon. Stay tuned!**

 **Kisses,**

 **Flungoutofspace01**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter **5** \- **So let _me..._**

Carol woke up and opened her eyes. Her heart was still beating fast, and it took her some seconds to realize it was only a dream and that she was in her apartment, safe, with Therese. The window was opened and a beautiful sunshine was enlightening the room. Carol perceived a warm breeze coming inside, caressing her skin, as she was still naked under the bed sheets.

Therese was sitting beside the bed.

"Good morning" she said smiling, then she kissed gently Carol's forehead.  
Carol got up, leaning her elbows on the pillow. "Good morning, darling" Carol replied in a whisper, her voice sounding sleepy. Therese caressed her face. The two women stared at each other intensively.

"I've made you coffee", Therese broke the silence Carol accepted the cup of coffee Therese offered her with a smile. The aroma was wonderful. "Thank you. It's nice..." she started, sipping the dark coffee.

"What?"

"Waking up in the morning and see you." Carol put the cup on the cupboard, then she took Therese's chin, and attracted Therese to her lips. They kissed softly.

" But I'm sorry", Carol said after a while.  
" For what?"

" For being such an ugly vision in the morning."

Carol and Therese laugh.

"Let me see, then".

Therese took Carol chin and she inspected her face as if she was looking some imperfection, but she couldn't see any. Carol was without makeup, her hair ruffled. But she was beautiful, Therese thought, the most beautiful and incredible woman she had ever met. In addition, Therese preferred her that way, because Therese knew only a few people had the privilege to see the natural Carol. And being one of them, meant being close.

Therese let her hand fall on Carol's shoulder, and looking straight into the woman blue eyes and said

"I wouldn't change a thing." and she kissed her, before she could have the chance to reply.

"Flatterer." Carol laughed but looked at Therese with the eyes of love.

"In a few years time you'll change your mind" replied Carol stubbornly after the kiss.

"Mean I'll get tired of you? No way."

"Mean I'm getting old and you've an entire life ahead."

"You're not getting old. Time passes in a different way for you, I think."

" Yeah, because you can see it passing through my wrinkles." Carol laughed again.

" No." Therese knitted her brows, thoughtful "As if time passes near you, like parallel lines, I mean, without touching you. I believe you won't get old at all, Carol. You'll remain the same, as I see you now."

Carol stood in silence, not knowing exactly what to say. Therese's words touched her deeply, not because she was convinced about the truth of what the girl said, but because... _She loves me so much_ , Carol thought. And deeply inside, she was a bit scared of this, because she loved her too and she didn't want to hurt her. Therese seemed so fragile, so precious. As a crystal, Carol thought again.

"Did you sleep well?" Carol asked, letting the previous discussion fall. She finished the cup of coffee, fixing her eyes on Therese.

" Just a couple of hours, I suppose."

"Why? Don't tell me I was snoring!"

Therese laugh.

" God no!" the girl smiled, then she looked down and she started to pinch her left hand.

"So what?" Carol clapped Therese's hand, obliging her to look in Carol's eyes.

"Don't tell me you took photos of me while I was sleeping!" Carol covered her face with two hands, joking.

" No, I hadn't the camera with me, unfortunately." Therese touched briefly Carol's shoulder. "I was in a rush, after our date, then I went to the party with Jack.."

"Tell the truth. You hadn't planned to meet me at the Oak Room and to pass the night with me in here." Carol replied teasing her.

 _" I hadn't planned you to tell me that you love me_." Therese whispered, taking Carol's hand.

Carol looked at her intensively as to confirm the truth of what Therese said, waiting for her to utter an answer.

"Well.. Last night... It was wonderful." Therese said, and blushed.

"Yes, it was."

Carol embraced her. Then she kissed Therese's neck. Carol closed her eyes. She recalled Therese's hands on her body, holding her by her hips, Therese's wet kisses on her womb...

"And you? Did you sleep well?" Therese asked her, breaking the flow of Carol's memory.

"No... I had a nightmare."

Therese made a worried expression. "About me? You weren't feeling..."

"No, my angel. Nothing to do with you". And Carol told her what she had dreamt of.

Therese stood a moment in silence, then she commented "Do you miss him?"

"How could I? I'm happy like this."

" _With me_..." Therese pointed out, shyly.

" I love you, Therese. And I want you.." Carol voice sounded determinated. "No one will keep me apart, not another time. Not the law, or a stupid injunction."

Therese couldn't believe Carol had said those words,to her,again. _Carol loves me_ , she thought. How could it be possible? For her, it was still hard to believe.

Therese caressed Carol jaw, and she kissed her wondrously. Her hand fell down to the woman bosom, realizing with a surprise that was warm and naked. Therese let the sheet fell over, revealing Carol nakedness.

Carol gulped and blushed, because she had never been in a vulnerable position like that, Therese had taken her by surprise. Therese stood at Carol's naked body, in the light of the sun and didn't make any move to step back, even if she realized Carol's embarrassment. Carol's heart was beating faster, as she felt so much exposed, not being in control of Therese's further actions, even if she wanted to, even if she was ready to let herself go completely.

"If so, let _me_ love _you_ " Therese said with a tender and shaking voice, that showed, however, all the courage Therese had gained in the months they were obliged to be apart.

Because Therese was a woman, now. And she wanted Carol to realize that, she wanted her to know time had changed. Carol wasn't "alone" in their relationship anymore, because she was ready to handle, she was ready to love and take care of herself as a grown up woman, and of Carol too.

Carol closed her eyes and let go her senses completely, under Therese's gently touch.

* * *

 **Hi everybody! Well this is the end of chapter 5... I've written a lot, I know, but hey, I was inspired. Did you enjoy? Let me know...Please write me your comments/opinions ... I need a feedback in order to continue. Thank you for following my story.**

 **Kisses,**

 **Flungoutofspace01**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter **6** – **New York was beautiful, that day.**

"John, you'll interview Mrs Harpett for the murder case, Lafayette Street, Greenwich; Jaime, you to the Train Station: find out what's happening, I've received a urgent call. Sandy and Hurry, you will have the sport page, here are your tickets for the Red Socks match... and Hurry, please, do not write down any personal comments. I want all of you to be objective, am I clear? Water... you will have to think about the layout of the front page, I trust you. Cliff, you got the financial news, Redford, you will handle the Little Italy question, please do call a policeman to go with you. And be careful, I don't want another man to be shot down. Well, photographers.. David, you with Sandy and Hurry, Bob I want you on the murder case, Pedro behind Redford, Timothy you with Jaime and Ms Belivett..." The New York Times' director took the pen which laid on his ear and pointed at Therese. All the men around the director's desk stared at her, in silence. " You, a photo for the front page." "I need some photos for the financial news as well!" protested Cliff. The director got irritated " Financial news don't need photos. There are just numbers in your articles". Cliff shook is head " This isn't fair..." but the director seemed to not listen, clapped his hand and shouted" Go, go, go ! Time flies and news as well!"

All the men left the desk and started to run around in a hurry. Therese was still there, not knowing exactly what to do. "Ms Belivett, have you heard?" said the director, lifting his eyebrow. " Yes sir, but..." " What?" the voice of the man sound severe. " I've never made a photo for the front-page. I don't know on what focalize." Therese looked at the man in the eyes, even if for just a couple of seconds. His eyes were grey and vacuous, intelligible. "Well, imagine." and the man started to read a piece of paper, not giving his attention to the woman anymore. The discussion was closed.

Therese got out of the newspapers' block, the sun was shining, quite hot for the end of april, she thought. She took off her suit, remaining only with the white shirt. She turned her head left and right, searching for some kind of inspiration. New York was beautiful, that day. She felt a warm energy inside, a sort of happiness, a confidence, she knew it would guide her in her research. With her free hand, she grasped the photo camera Carol had brought her for Christmas. Then she smiled and decided to call a cab.

(A few hours later, 12 ave, Ravensburg furniture store, Nyc)

" Yeah, I would like a big one, because, you know.. I've a lot of dresses. With a mirror inside, double door would be perfect." Carol flowed besides the exposed wardrobes, briefly touching the rough woods to choose what would perfectly fit her client description. " And which color would you prefer, m'am?" Carol asked. The woman started to think intensively. "Well, I suggest you to focalize on the walls colors of your house.. And the other furnitures, as well. " White walls, the old wardrobe was brown.. But, I don't know… Maybe I can change". "And the type of wood, I mean, the quality. What's your budget?" The client answered quickly " 200-300 boxes". Carol turned her head left and right, and she decided which wardrobe. " I think this the one you are looking for, m'am. Coloured grey, double door, with a mirror on the leften side and pretty cheap. It's laminboard."

"Oh thank you! I love it!"

Carol said goodbye to the client and she returned at her desk. She was in furniture store. "Buyer", she thought and smiled ironically thinking about herself helping the client she had served a moment earlier. Ironical was not for the job itself, but the fact that was her first day of work, and she didn't know exactly where to put her hands and she felt awkward. Comings from a wealthy family she hadn't needed to work, until that day. But hey, she was happy. _I'd rather be an employee than... only Harge's wife_ she thought and she lifted her shoulders proudly.

" Mrs Aird could you please come in my office ?" shouted the chief of the store.

"Coming" answered Carol.

She understood how Therese had felt with a red Christmas hat, the day they'd met.

"You've sold 5 stocks in 3 hours." The woman, who was younger than Carol, put her glasses on her desk and looked at Carol with her small and blind eyes.

"Which is quite bad for our standards..."

Carol bolted her jaw and pointed out " Nobody wants wardrobes in summer" and glanced the woman with her piercingly blue eyes.

The heavy silence which fell between the two was broken by the director's laugh, who was behind the door and had listened to the whole conversation.

" Don't know why you women didn't get along with each other... There is always a sort of ..unspoken competition." the man said popping into the office and grasping Carol's shoulder as to underline his words "Julia, she is right, damn it ! So, hey, leave her alone." then he turned his head to see Carol's face, which remained without expression at all.

" You did a good job. And Julia, I haven't heard any client complain about her, have you? " Julia blushed. " My apologies, Mrs Aird. You are free to go to lunch".

" Can I make a phone call?" Carol asked.

" No, I'm sorry, m'am... She has gone outside."

"Oh, I see.. "

"Yeah, she's working on the front-page, today. So I guess she won't return that early"

"Well, thank you anyway, director. Have a nice day" Carol was about to cut the line, when the director asked her

"Would you like to leave me your name? So I will tell her you had called. "

" No, I don't want to bother .. But thank you anyway."

Carol realized that try to contact Therese at work was a stupid idea. She didn't want to put her in a dangerous position, although Harge had decided to turn down the injunction. _But we have to be careful_ , she thought.

When Therese came at the Oak Room, between Carol's friends there was also Fred, her lawyer... And Carol expected he would call her, to talk about _the situation_. He surely had understood Therese was _that Therese_ of the records, although he show any kind of reaction, behaving with discretion.

With these thoughts in mind, Carol was walking outside the building, probably a bit sad because she wanted to see Therese and to tell her how was going her first day of work. The front page? She thought, _my darling is flying_. And a briefly smile enlightened her face.

With a " Hey" out of the blue, Therese, who was standing with her back leaned on the wall, took Carol's hand. " I thought you were..." Carol's voice flipped higher. "I'm taking you out for lunch..." Therese clasped her fingers with Carol's. The elder woman looked at her with surprise, she held Therese's hand, but just for a while. Therese perceived Carol wanted to maintain a certain distance, in public, but for her, it wasn't fair.

" May I?" Therese asked looking at their hands. With a sweetie smile on her face and without waiting for an answer she took Carol's hand again.

"Are we going to lunch together? "Carol asked.

"Of course"

"All right, then. Because there are many things I would like to tell you"

" I am all ears".

"But please…" Carol liberated her hand. "Darling, I'm sorry, but we have to be careful."

Therese looked around. The street was empty, all the New Yorkers were at lunch, that hour. And in the ave, there were only offices and warehouses, and cabs and trucks, of course. But no one was crossing the street nor walking around.

Therese took rapidly Carol's chin and she kissed her on the lips.

Then they started to walk together.

* * *

 **Hi ! Thank you for reading this chapter. Hope you've liked the development of the story. Please, let me know. I'd the pleasure to read many positive comments on my fanfic and I would like to thank you for the support and the affection.**

 **Flungoutofspace01**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter **7** \- **One can either love or hate you.**

"What would you like something to drink, m'am?" the waiter asked, looking at Carol.

" Two dry Martini with olives, please" answered Therese with a smile. Carol twinkled her.

"All right. And what would you like to eat?"

" I'll have a tuna salad" answered Carol.

"And you m'am?"

"Well, I'll take the artichokes soup, thank you"

The waiter run back in the kitchen with the orders.

" So, how is going the first day?" Therese asked.

"Now I understand why you were feeling nervous, the day I met you, at Frankenberg." Carol laughed. "Don't worry, first days are always like that."

"And the days after, I suppose."

" And the days after." Therese admitted, smiling.

(The waiter brought their meals. After a while.)

"And your chief.. He or she?" Therese asked, tasting her soup.

"She's younger than me, in her thirties."

"Interesting..." Therese paused, her eyes were glittering " and did you get along with each other?" she asked, inquisitively.

"Not at all! I think she hates me or, even, she wants to cut me out."

"Understandable."

"Why?" Carol didn't follow Therese's thought.

"You are incredibly fascinating, smart and…I would feel threatened by you, in her feet."

"Would you?" She had put her elbow on the table, her hand holding her chin, looking at Therese intensively.

"Yes." Therese smiled and briefly caressed Carol's hand with her thumb.

"But I am not interested in taking her place."

" She didn't know that."

"Well… and how could I make her believe she's wrong ?"

"Give her time, I guess." Therese looked at their hands, as she was drawing round circles with her thumb on Carol's back of the hand.

"You are extremely useful." Carol joked, sarcastically. She covered Therese's hands in hers, then she let go and started to season the salad with salt and lemon.

"One can either love or hate you."

"As for anyone else."

" But you are not _anyone_ , Carol."

" So you agree with me, you think she hates me."

" I really hope so." Therese laughed, a bit nervously.

"Are you jealous?" Carol asked, surprised and with a tip of irony in her voice.

Therese smiled, avoiding the question.

(After a while.)

"How is your soup?"

"Good. Do you want to taste it?"

"Yes, please." Therese passed Carol her spoon, full of soup.

"Mm I like it" commented Carol. "But tell me... What will the New Yorkers see on the front page tomorrow?"

"I don't know."

"What?! Aren't you encharged?" Carol asked, worried.

"Yes but..." Therese shook her head.

" You haven't find anything..." Carol continued.

"I haven't searched yet." Therese was elusive.

(A moment of silence followed. )

Therese observed Carol's smooth skin, her eyes, her hands, her smile... _She meant everything, for her. She tried to think back to when she was with Richard, to the time before she had met Carol. Her life seemed without meaning, only a simple routine of events that struggled her in a state of…_

" For you." Therese gave Carol a piece of paper. "I've written a few lines..."

" A poem?" Carol asked and her tone went higher, while her hands were opening the letter. " You didn't have ..."

" I went to Central Park ...Thinking.. And instead of taking pictures, I've written this... Read it. "

Carol read the title and watched Therese in the eyes. Then she went on reading, almost in a whisper that Therese could barely hear.

 _ **Shores**. _

_I've seen_

 _thousands battles_

 _in your eyes,_

 _whereas through your lips_

 _passed dawns_

 _have reborned._

 _Between all the empties,_

 _That smile_

 _erased the grey,_

 _and of that time,_

 _I can't recall_

 _nothing_

 _but sunny days._

Carol was speechless. She looked up at Therese, her eyes full of tears.

* * *

 **Hi everyone! Thank you for reading chapter number 7. Did you enjoy? Let me know what you think about it.**

 **Kisses,**

 **Flungoutofspace01**

 **Ps the original version of the poem is in italian. Something I've written years ago for a very special person.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter **8** \- **Please don't talk about me.**

"Hello.. Carol? It's Fred"

"Knew you'd call."

"Yeah. We must talk."

"Do we ? I don't have anything to tell you, Fred."

"Well, I do. With the girl.. Therese.. What's going on, Carol? I thought you were out, I mean, ok, you haven't denied the records but..."

"And I won't, Fred."

" Carol, she is young. She has just started her career."

"I know."

"Have you seen her again?"

"I don't have to answer this question."

" Oh, I see.." A pause followed. " Carol please listen to me. Even if Harge has retired the injunction it doesn't mean they won't inquire further."

Carol listened in silence.

"She's working at the New York Times, Carol."

Carol grasp the phone with two hands.

" It would be a scandal."

Carol closed her eyes. If something would happen to Therese, it was her fault. A tear streamed down her eye.

"I love her, Fred."

The lawyer, at the other side of the line, closed his eyes. I know, but it's illegal, he wanted to add.

"Just... be careful."

"We would, thank you."

Carol cut down the conversation.

* * *

"And the last." Therese came in the appartment with all her luggage.

"You can put your clothes in the wardrobe over there... It's empty" Carol informed her, with a pale tone.

"All right. But first I'll have a shower" Therese said, and moved to the bathroom. With the bathroom door opened she started to undress, by taking off her shoes and shocks, but suddenly she stopped. Carol didn't answer her, and a heavy silence followed.

The elder woman was sitting on the bed, giving her back to Therese. She had remained in silence, her hand on the forehead. She didn't know where to start, she was worried and she felt sad.

Therese saw Carol beautiful siluette in the bedroom, and noticed Carol's shoulders were curved under the light blue dress she was wearing that evening. She knew something was wrong.

"Carol, what's wrong?" Therese's voice showed her worries. The girl came into the bedroom and put both hands on Carol's shoulders, then she turned in order to see Carol's face. She was crying. The tears streamed slowly down her face and Therese, with tenderness dried them with her left hand. Then she fixed her green eyes in Carol's.

"Darling, I'm here" it was the first time she called Carol like that, and she did it without premeditatation, it just came natural. Both women noticed it, and Carol was surprised. She caressed Therese's face.

Then, not keeping her hands from the girl's cheeks she kissed her.

"Fred called." She said after their lips fell apart, still caressing Therese's face.

"And..."  
Therese's thoughts went back to the last time she had seen Carol's lawyer, at the Oak room. He knew she was that Therese. However the girl remembered the surprise in his eyes while she entered the room, she appreciated his discretion. In the whole evening the two didn't share a word. " What did he say?"

"He asked me what is going on between us"

"And what did you say?"Therese's heart was beating really fast she could barely breathe.

"I told him I love you" Carol said, and took Therese's hand in hers, without taking off her eyes from the young woman.

"But he pointed out that is too dangerous... I mean... for your career"

"For my career?" Therese broke out. In her voice there was a mixture of anger and pain."I don't give a damn..."

"Well, I do. And I don't want to destroy your life, Therese. You have a bright future ahead, you will be brilliant..."

"Carol, how could you destroy my life? " And she opened her arms in a gesture. Carol, you've made my life, she thought.

"Fred said if this becomes public... It will be a scandal."

"A scandal? Well, I'm not that famous." Therese laugh sharply.

"Therese, according to him we are doing something illegal." Carol said with no expression, turning down her eyes to her own hands, still on Therese's. Then she removed her hands from the girl's, with a slow, significant movement.

"And I want to protect you." She added.

A moment of silence followed.

"Carol, Harge has turned down the injunction..."

"I know. But there are still risks."

" I am not afriad." Therese took Carol's chin and fixed her eyes in her's, just a fiew inches from her face. She wanted Carol to see her determination.

"I want you to be happy." Carol said, holding Therese's shoulders.

"I am happy with you" Therese answered in a whisper. "And for me, it doesn't matter... I mean, it's only a job. You have sacrified your time with your daughter for..." Therese realized how much their love costed to Carol, and she shyly turned down her eyes. She fixed her stare to Carol's womb.

"Therese. I haven't sacrified anything, I'll see Rindy, maybe not that often but... I'll be there for her, anyway."

"So, please don't doubt me.." Therese whispered.

Carol didn't answer straight away.

"Please believe I'd do anything..." Therese added with a broken voice.

Carol embraced her tight and she smell Therese's skin. She percived the perfume of life and youth.

Carol kissed sweetly Therese neck. The young woman shivered.

"I am not doubting you. But this isn't about me, is how society goes." The two women were still in each other's arms, talking in the ears.

"Meaning we can't be..." Therese paused.

Carol broke the hug.

" _Together_?"

Carol raised and she reached the window. The day was leaving it space to the night, in the sky red lines mixed with the blue.

Carol crossed her arms. After a while, Therese went closer.

Carol started to imagine her life without Therese. _How it would be like, not seeing her all day, not waking up next to her... forgiving the sound of her voice, her perfume, her ivory skin. How to life without the energy she percieved when she was next to her, like a sense of fulfillment, a deep fulfillment. How it would be seeing Rindy only once or twice a month, faking a perfect life, probably dating with some man that would... use her, like Harge did, for high society necessities. Parties, drinks with friends, entertain people. How it would be lose her job, her appartment, her indipendence, her identity, her soul, her grain, her heart. Again. Her head started to turn fastly. She closed her eyes and in the darkness a vivid image came out. The dream she had made, herself being in the ballroom. Therese had taken her in her arms, when she was about to fall. This is what Therese meant to her._ Carol felt a sense of emptiness, as if the 6th floor down their feet suddently vanished. She breathed deeply, that she turned round in order to watch the woman she loved.

Therese saw Carol had gone pale, but she could not utter a word.

"Therese... would you... " Carol took Therese's hands and she put the young woman's right end under her bosom, where her heart was beating very fast. Therese gulped.

"Would you like to be... _my girlfriend_?" Carol asked, and the question remained in suspension in the air.

Therese, who thought Carol was about to leave her was completly petrified.

"I thought we were already..." Therese said with a soft voice, and broke into emotional tears, even if she was smiling.

"Yeah, but I am old fashioned and I wanted to make it official." Carol said, shyly laughing.

"So, my answer is yes"

"Pleased to hear that." and she caressed Therese's cheek. "But we have to be careful, my love. Mean we musn't show up in public."

"It would be hard." Therese said.

"I know. But we have to. Please promess me." Carol said, talking seriously.

Therese nodded.

"And please don't talk about me. With anybody."

* * *

(Later that night, Abby's house)

" I am really happy for you! Let's make a toast" Abby said with loud voice.

Therese looked at her and remained in silence.

Carol noticed that and said " Abby, I think you and Therese have to clarify a few points..."

" I don't have anything with you,dear." Abby said, putting her hands up. "I swear to God."

"Right." Therese said.

"Therese, listen... even if I had doubts at first... I saw Carol... I saw how Carol was without you..."

"Abby,please..." Carol interveined, laughing.

"Something not really nice to see, trust me." Abby broke in a heavy laugh. "And she is my best friend, I want her to be happy."

Carol poured wine in their glasses.

"And, my friend, I have to tell you about my first day of work."

"Your first day of work?" Abby laughed again ironically. "Don't tell me you've already got promoted?"

"No, she've raised the selling standards of the store" Therese said, joking. And the three women laughed together.

"So, to Carol and Therese" shouted Abby, raising her glass.

" _To us_ " said Therese, and she kissed Carol.

* * *

At midnight Therese went out and brought the New York Times in a newstand. She smiled, looking at her picture in the front page.

"There we go, girls. I brought the newspaper."

"Let's see!"

Carol jumped over the sofa and seized it.

She remained in silence,

"So?" Abby shouted from the living room.

"Road trip to the interiors of the Great Apple", was the title.

Therese had taken a photo of a busy road in the city centre, and, at the end of the street, there was the sea. Rhode Island.

 _My shore_ , Carol thought and smiled.

* * *

 **Hi everyone! Thank you for reading chapter 8, it has been a great journey. What do you think? Hope it was enjoyable. Please write to me and let me know. Hope you are having a nice day. Kisses,**

 **Flungoutofspace01**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter **9** \- **Everyone would fit**

"Carol, I need to talk to you about something." The two women were walking toward home from Abby's house. Carol looked at Therese, who was walking beside her.

"Yes, love" A pause followed and then Therese smiled. It was the first time Carol called her that way. It sounded to her amazing, as the woman she loved felt the same way she did. The young woman blushed and looked down for a while. Carol noticed Therese reaction and she caressed her hand briefly, looking into her green eyes in order to confirm the meaning of the words she had said.

" I wonder.. If..." She stopped, shyly. Carol kept walking in silence waiting for her to express herself. "If it wasn't _me_ it would have been the same?" Carol didn't answer instead. The question flowed in the empty road they were in together. Carol reflected seriously before answering her with another question.

" As if ... I was needing someone and everyone would fit the... Gap?" Therese looked away.

" I didn't mean that..." She whispered, wondering how stupid she was and blaming herself in silence.

" Yes, you did." Carol answered, with a point of irony in her voice.

" I'm sorry." Therese said, completely ashamed. Then she felt Carol's arm around her shoulders.

" When I saw you that day in Frankemberg I couldn't have imagined I would have followed in love with you. I just walked in the sailes floor because I wanted to buy a ... ( Carol can't recall the name) present for Ryndy."

" _Bright Betsy_."

"See?" Carol laughed. " And I ended buying a train set and forgetting my gloves on your desk." Carol's eyes sparkled as the images came back to her mind.

" So I... I didn't struck you. "

" Then I entered my car, tuned on the engine and I realized something was missing... my hands were cold." Carol smiled and looked down.

" You did struck me." Therese said, with a low and soft voice and she looked at Carol. " I didn't want you to disappear... That day you were like... a... don't know how to explain..." Therese shook her head and turned down her eyes gathering shyly her own hands.

"Like what?" Carol was curious.

"A ...revelation"

Carol squeezed Therese's hand and smiled at her. Then she saw a taxi coming along and she put off her left arm, in order to stop the vehicle.

"Let's take a cab, shall we?"

Therese nodded.

* * *

They sat in the back of the cab, which was a bit darker. In silence Carol searched for Therese's hand, which was on Therese left leg. Carol crossed her fingers with the girl's.

"When I realized I had lost my gloves ... I hoped you were the one who found them."

"And did you expect me to send them back ?"

They were talking almost in a whisper.

" I didn't expect anything, to be honest. But somehow I felt a... Connection with you."

"So you were pleased to hear from me." Therese looked at Carol, but in the darkness she couldn't see the woman's eyes, which were enlightened by a deep light.

"And surprised." She added.

"So you decided to invite me for a lunch."

"Yes, I wanted to see you again. I thought, perhaps you had felt the same. Did you?"

"Yes I did."

"And you did struck me. While we were having lunch together."

"And it was at that point…?"

"Yes. Almost"

Therese recalled her first lunch together and the phrase she would bare in her mind forever- "What a strange girl you are…"

"You looked… mysterious and fragile at the same time" Carol said, the image of a crystal popping up in her mind instead.

" Thank you." Therese laughed. "Although maybe I was only awkward"

Carol caressed her hand.

"You were not. What about me?" Carol asked with curiosity in her voice.

" You? Well, for me it was a bit different."

"How so?"

"Because I had never... Seen a woman like you... Before." Therese answered rapidly and speaking in a whisper.

Carol searched for Therese's eyes. A silence followed and the two women didn't know how to continue the discussion. But suddenly Therese found the right words, as she had written in her diary.

" I feel I am in a desert with my hands outstretched, and you are raining down upon me..."

Carol felt a sense of emptiness in her stomac. She caressed her own hair, shivering her blonde curls and looking outside the cabs window. She gather herself; as her heart was beating very fast and she distanced herself from Therese's body.

* * *

They finally arrived at the apartment. Therese opened the door with the key Carol had given her, but she was worrying about Carol's reaction. She felt ashamed for the words she had revealed in the cab, and much more, about the silence that followed. Did Carol think it was too much ? She didn't want to frighten her. Therese let Carol enter the flat.

" Do you want a cup of coffee?" Carol asked with pale voice. " I'm feeling thirsty."

"No, thank you."

" It was nice, earlier, at Abby's house."

Therese nodded without conviction, but Carol couldn't see the girls reaction as she was giving her back to Therese.

Therese sit at the table and observed Carol while she was preparing her mug of dark coffee.

" I don't understand..." Therese said.

Carol turned, in her eyes both fire and cold water.

Then she turned back without an answer. Then the water boiled and she pours a little bit of coffee inside her mug.

Therese couldn't utter a word. She was still sitting, her heart beating suspended as she was preparing herself for Carol's explanation. She gather her hands and she started to pinch her fingers.

Carol poured the water in the mug, then she sat in front of Therese. She started drinking, watching the girl as she was a water painting in a museum.

"Nobody had never treat me the way you do."

Therese turned up her eyes and met Carol's.

"I... didn't mean to put you in a difficult position."

Carol smiled and she briefly touched the tip of the mug with her finger.

" See?" and she smiled again.

Therese didn't understand and she watched the woman with a question between her lips.

"You treat me as if I was... " Carol hesitated " As if.. I was so precious for you, a wrong word you may say... Would let me broken in pieces or... Disappear forever."

Therese was astonished because she felt exactly that way, when it comes to Carol.

" I feel that way." She answered shyly, with a broken voice.

"And, believe it or not, I feel the same about you." Carol said, her voice sounding tender and revealing all her love.

Then she drank from her mug. And she started explaining to Therese the thought she had while they were making love.

" You perceive me as a crystal." Therese said, with a bit of sarcasm in her voice as she was wondering why she was so special for Carol.

"I do."

Carol walked towards Therese and she took the girls chin with her right hand. She looked straight into the young woman's eyes.

" It could only be you, my angel." Therese closed her eyes as she received Carol's lips. She thought about her being Carol's precious crystal, about Carol's feelings while they had made love, about her own body trembling under Carol's touch.

"Carol..."

"What?" the woman looked at her.

"Take me."

And Carol took her face in her hands again and started to kiss her with a burning desire that began from her heart. Carol deepened the kiss, and they both moaned. The kiss felt about dark coffee.

Therese stood up and Carol gave her hand and she lead her girl to the bedroom.

* * *

 **Hi ! Back with this new chapter. Sorry for the wating, honestly I thought I wouldn't continue this fanfic anymore. Thank you for reading. I wonder what do you think about this chapter and about "my" personal views of Carol and Therese. Hope you'll answer me. Kisses xxx**

 **Have a nice evening. Send my love to all of you,**

 **Flungoutofspace01**


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